Schauer, Snyder's Democratic opponent in the November election, also wants to spend a lot of time focusing on Detroit, but wants to do so differently.

"I would be a full partner with the city of Detroit, with its elected leaders," he said after addressing a labor union gathering in the city Wednesday.

"And I expect to spend a lot of time in the governor's office in Detroit to do exactly that. It's going to take a governor who can roll up his sleeves, can talk to block club leaders in church basements as well as elected officials and members of Congress and the president... We need a plan that makes Detroit and our cities a priority."

"We have to keep our promises," Schauer said. "I was in the legislature when a promise of increased revenue sharing payments to Detroit was made in exchange for the city lowering it's income tax rate. The city of Detroit did its part. The legislature did not. We need to keep that promise... It's going to take a comprehensive plan, but revenues are certainly part of it."

His sharpest criticism for the governor revolved around pension cuts proposed in a plan submitted in bankruptcy court last month by Detroit Emergency Manger Kevyn Orr.

"This governor violated his constitutional oath when he first put city of Detroit retiree pensions on the chopping block," Schauer said. "... It's projected to put 20 percent of city of Detroit retirees into poverty. It's the wrong approach. It hurts our economy. ...

"He's looking out for his corporate special interest friends at the expense of real people."

Snyder's campaign fired back after Schauer's Detroit visit Wednesday.

"This is more divisive rhetoric from a career politician with no plan for Michigan," said the governor's campaign manager Kyle Robertson.

"Since Governor Snyder took office, over 255,000 private sector jobs have been created, the state's unemployment rate is at its lowest rate in six years, education funding has gone up every year and he has worked in a strong, collaborative way to ensure Detroit's long-term viability."

Snyder a year ago appointed Orr to take over Detroit government under the state's powerful emergency management law. Orr, after reviewing the city's finances and making a debt-cutting proposal to creditors, eventually took the city into bankruptcy court to address $18 billion in crippling obligations.

Snyder proposes using $350 million in state tobacco settlement funds to aid Detroit pensioners, particularly those in danger of falling into poverty.

If those funds, along with $465 million in pledged private funds, come to fruition, pension cuts would fall below 30 percent for general retirees and below 10 percent for former police and fire workers, according to Orr.

But Schauer doesn't believe pensioners should take cuts at all.

"Public employee pensions should have never been on the table, because the constitution prohibits that," he said.

"Creditors have to pay more or the legislature and the governor could work together to look at solutions," he said. "I know there's a plan on the table to provide some support for the city of Detroit, but (had he been governor) it would have been a collaborative conversation about how to work the city of Detroit out of bankruptcy."

Schauer was in town to accept an AFL-CIO union endorsement.

"Mark shares our values that are rooted in the middle class and good-paying jobs," said Michigan AFL-CIO president Karla Swift.

Gary Ennis, Jr., a railroad worker and union representative who met the candidate at the Downtown Detroit union hall said he supports Schauer because he appears to relate to the middle class.